New Breathing Exercises Help Manage Asthma

Science Daily ^ | May 31, 2008 | Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Asthma and Airways

[fightinJAG]

ScienceDaily (May 30, 2008) — A presentation that demonstrates breathing exercises designed to help reduce the use of asthma inhalers is today available to the general public for free from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Asthma and Airways website.

The 40 minute production is in response to a research paper on the management of asthma through the use of breathing exercises, conducted by researchers and doctors at Sydney's Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Melbourne's Alfred Hospital, which was published in the August 20061 edition of Thorax.

The results of this study showed that asthmatics who undertook regular breathing exercises reduced their preventer medication levels by up to half and reliever use by up to 86%.

[Eagles6]

save

[fightinJAG]

I wonder if these exercises might help folks with some other types of breathing difficulties, say related to systemic inflammation.

I’d be interested in the effect on blood pressure as well.

[Global2010]

Also where you live is conditional to how ya breathe.

We chose to live in a saline/rain forrest.

If we as in past travel south to Cali and hit Los Angie instantly drip green and bronchial blocks.

Go figure.

[Mustng959]

ping

[DancingMyRainbow]

I don’t know about helping high blood pressure but these excersises really do work for asthma. About 20 years ago I was in the hospital for a massive asthma attack, doctors couldn’t seem to calm it. They finally sat by my bed for over two hours injecting some crap into my veins and that finally got rid of it. But the woman in the next bed suggested I take shallower breaths and exhale longer. Wow, couldn’t believe the difference. Haven’t had an attack since, unless you count the three times I had aspirin related attacks. Her suggestion wasn’t as scientific as this report, but I think the basics were the same.

[Keith Brown]

Ping!

[singfreedom]

I bookmarked the video. I've had asthma since childhood and having smoked for years didn't help any either. I'm gonna try this.

Thanks for the info, JAG!

[Keith Brown]

Ok in his book “the bulletproof mind” Col Grossman mentioned a breathing technique that was close to what I was taught when I was fighting.

Breathe in thru the nose and count 1 2 3 4

Hold, preferably in the diaphram area 1 2 3 4

Then out thru the mouth 1 2 3 4

Repeat the cycle 3 times.

It really helps calm you down when stressed and trying to do something that takes finer motor skills.

Is it similar to your asthma breathing style?

I am curious.

Thanks

[griffin]

bttt

[Wonder Warthog]

http://www.asthma.crc.org.au/breathing_techniques_presentation.html

[DancingMyRainbow]

Actually, it’s more breathe in for a count of five, then smoothly exhale for a count of 10. I personally don’t hold the breath for more than a couple of seconds because that makes me gasp for the next breath in. I used to do this at night before falling asleep and now it’s habit. I watched all the videos and I have to say that the stricture on posture was definitely helpful.

[Keith Brown]

Thank you!

[fightinJAG]

Let us know your thoughts on the exercises after trying them!

Sure hope it helps.

[fightinJAG]

Wow, that is great.

Funny, we are always told to take deeper breaths. Hmm . . .

[fightinJAG]

This also reminded me of how one ends up breathing when using a “Respirate” blood pressure “calming” machine.

I guess that’s why I wondered if the exercises would work for BP as well.